Xbox One Xbox 720 Won't Play Used Games?

This is exactly why I don't have an e-reader, actually. The notion that you cannot own something once you've paid money for it is ridiculous. It gives an unreasonable amount of power to the company, who can now dictate when and how you can use the product. That should be up to you to decide, as long as you're not doing anything illegal with it. Piracy is one thing, sure, but this is such a bone-headed and misguided way of preventing it that XBox would seriously be shooting themselves in the foot if they actually tried to make it happen.

I hope, anyway. If it works like a charm and other companies follow suit, I might just up and move to an island somewhere with nothing but physical media. :p
 
Mia said:
I hope, anyway. If it works like a charm and other companies follow suit, I might just up and move to an island somewhere with nothing but physical media. :p
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Well, if things go in their favor, you can always start collecting all those old games from the Xbox and Xbox 360 archives that you missed the first time around. If games go completely digital, or new consoles block used games, I'm going to turn my living room into a library for old video games and start collecting old disks and cartridges. I think younger kids and teens won't even notice the changes but collectors like me are going to suffer.
When the game Catherine came out, there was this huge limited edition package with all these collectible items in it. How will they do that with digital games? Are they going to do away with the bonus art books and action figures?
Even though people hated Duke Nukem Forever, the statue and other items that came in the special edition box were pretty cool. Downloadable items aren't as cool as collectible swag that you can display on your games shelf.

When you buy digital things, you basically own nothing. You're paying money for data. If you buy $300 worth of music on iTunes and someone steals your iPod, your music collection is gone.
Digital video games are great for the game companies, but bad for collectors.
 
It seems like there should be a way for publishers to cash in on the re-sale market without having to resort to drastic measures like disallowing re-sales. Perhaps if the initial price of games were to come down, they would sell more copies. Because more people would be buying new copies of the game at lower prices, the re-sale market would shrink.
 
OnlineNinja said:
It seems like there should be a way for publishers to cash in on the re-sale market without having to resort to drastic measures like disallowing re-sales. Perhaps if the initial price of games were to come down, they would sell more copies. Because more people would be buying new copies of the game at lower prices, the re-sale market would shrink.
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If publishers want to cash in the re-sale market, they should do trade in programs and sell used games on their own websites. That would take Gamestop out of the equation.
I still think they're making money on DLC content because once that content is redeemed, the next person who buys the game used has to pay to download the DLC from XBox Live Marketplace.
 
If they go all digital (they aren't) then they can dump Gamestop and used games but there is not way they are going to do it this coming gen. Gamestop may be what it is but I would think MS wants Gamestop selling those consoles.
 
Maybe I'm just being a bit dense, but I don't understand how they could POSSIBLY implement this. For this to even be a feasible idea, you would have to have the majority of your users installing games onto their console, instead of just playing them from disk - which isn't the case - the vast majority of current users still just use their disk as their is only a limited amount of space on the hard-drives.
Secondly, you would have to have some way of recognising a used game. Yes, they could technically have a serial number, but for that serial number to be tracked across different consoles, you would have to have an internet connection to each one. That in itself causes a problem - not every Xbox user has their console hooked up to the internet/Xbox Live, and unless they're looking to go 100% digital - which I highly doubt - there is no way of enforcing this at all.
 
As much as I love xbox if this is true about the 720 not playing used games I will not upgrade to the 720. I mostly a game before I spend $60 on something I've never played before unless it's a Call of Duty game. Also think about this if they move forward with this it would kill off gamestop which my thought is over half of its business comes from used game sales. I trully hope that they change this.
 
Doesn't Microsoft know this will anger not only Xbox gamers, but third party retailers as well? 80% of the time I buy used games off of amazon or at Walmart. Selling used games is a big maker maker for the game industry right now and it'd be a foolish mistake if they decided to do this.
 
Araragi said:
Doesn't Microsoft know this will anger not only Xbox gamers, but third party retailers as well? 80% of the time I buy used games off of amazon or at Walmart. Selling used games is a big maker maker for the game industry right now and it'd be a foolish mistake if they decided to do this.
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Exactly. If Microsoft does something this nasty , gamers will despise them. If the 720 blocked used games and you had to install the game and type in a product key, like when you buy a Windows installation CD, I would never buy another Microsoft console again. I would buy the next Sony console. Many gamers don't have the money to buy brand new games all the time. I'm always on a budget because I'm a parent. College students and high school kids, also don't have money to buy new games all the time. Microsoft would lose a ton of customers and create ill will and a negative buzz about their brand.
 
In the end, this isn't a feasible business plan; there are lots of people who make a living off of games as physical media. The music industry had this panic when digital files became the norm; does anyone remember Sony's attempt to copy-protect their disks? As much as they'd love to make it so that people can only buy new copies of every single game, it's just not a good model; it will alienate dedicated gamers who can only afford used games. The industry really isn't about to go bankrupt; there is NO need to make this sort of drastic move, which will lose a lot more customers.

What may happen is that more games will function on the Diablo 3 model, in which you have to be logged in to the server to play even the single-player game; it's a much easier way to control the digital rights of a product without essentially locking people out. The game industry has a fanbase that is hard to please, but they are loyal to the end if you can please them. It's in Microsoft's best interests to keep pleasing their fans, because they don't want to get a backlash on their hands.
 
I agree Mia. I think they would be shooting themselves in the foot, especially with the game studios, if they went this route. I LOVE being able to trade old games in to put towards new games. I would probably play a LOT less if they did this. I'd also be a lot pickier about which titles I bought.
 
Sure they may think that this is a good plan to stop pirating or sharing of a game, but it's not a smart business idea. It would render useless as there are gamers out there who are known for making cracks or pirated versions of games, even console games. Microsoft would lose not only a lot of money and business, but a lot of their community. In reality, who hasn't bought a game and brought it over to a friend's house, or let their friend borrow it. I don't think Microsoft would ever go through with this implement, it seems more of a downgrade than an upgrade. As other users said, it would also kill business with third party businesses like Amazon, Ebay, Gamestop, and many more. I just can't see Microsoft going through with such a radical implement.
 
If this feature was implemented into the 720 the only people it wouldn't affect would be the hard core gamers. Right now Microsoft is fighting used games by adding all these extra content deals when you pre-order ahead of time.

In theory it is a great idea but I think it would kill there business more than help it. People who buy used games will just wait the extra few years until the game is down to its lowest price anyway. On top of that people who don't play games as much may just drop the 720 altogether for the now cheaper alternatives.

We have seen reform before however. Maybe the 720 will be the console of everyone's dream so much so we don't care about the new rules it comes with. Only time will tell.
 
I'm still wondering if Xbox 720 will be backwards compatible. That would be particularly awesome, considering the many great exclusives this gen. I'd rather not have to break out an old 360 to play them if possible. I might also sell my 360 to get funds to get the new 720.
 
I am hoping that Xbox 720 doesn't cost that much, 360 games already cost a ton.
 
PC games have been like this for a few decades now. It was only a matter of time until consoles followed suit. Unfortunately this takes away yet another reason to buy console over PC, so this isn't helping consoles to avoid extinction. Gamestop isn't helping things either with their re-selling scam job causing losses for game publishers.
 
360 plays some games for the original Xbox. I am confident that this will be the case in Xbox 720 as well, that it will support the games for 360. If not, I would think twice if I will it considering tons of games for Xbox 360.
 
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